Goodreads Choice Awards 2026: Best Romantasy Nominees and Winner
The 2026 Goodreads Choice Awards nominees have been announced, and it’s time to vote for the best romantasy book of the year!
It’s always interesting to see which books make the list, and this year’s nominees include some of the biggest names in romantasy along with several books and authors that are completely new to me.
I’m sharing all 20 books nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romantasy, including what each book is about, my thoughts on the ones I’ve read, and which book gets my vote!
Will your favorite romantasy book of 2026 take home the award?
Goodreads Choice Awards 2026 Voting Dates
- Opening Round: November 10–22, 2026
- Final Round: November 24–29, 2026
- Winners Announced: December 3, 2026
The opening round features 20 nominees, with the top 10 advancing to the final round.
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Goodreads Choice Awards 2026 Best Romantasy Winner
Winner: To Be Announced December 3, 2026
I’ll update this post once Goodreads announces the winner of the 2026 Best Romantasy category.
Until then, check out all 20 nominated books below!
Goodreads Choice Awards 2026: Best Romantasy Nominees
Here are the 20 books nominated for the 2026 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romantasy, listed alphabetically by title.
A Court of Splintered Harmony
by Sarah J. Maas
In the sixth book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, the Night Court faces a growing threat from Koschei the Deathless, whose plans could plunge Prythian into another devastating conflict. With old alliances fractured and betrayals dividing those closest to one another, the fae must find a way to unite before their enemies destroy everything they’ve fought to protect.
A Vow in Vengeance
by Jaclyn Rodriguez
Desperate to find her missing family and take revenge on the Immortals who destroyed her life, Rune Ryker enters the Forge, a dangerous academy where students learn to wield powerful tarot magic. When her rare abilities force her to live with the arrogant Prince Draven, she must navigate a deadly competition and an attraction to the one person she can’t afford to trust.
Because I Killed Him
by Edith Birde
After killing a powerful high-citizen, Loredana becomes a target in a society where people of her status have almost no rights. Her only hope of survival is Edmund Prew, the ruthless heir of a rival family who reluctantly agrees to protect her, unaware that the secret she’s hiding could turn him into her greatest enemy.
Brimstone
by Callie Hart
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
In the sequel to Quicksilver, Saeris and Kingfisher face new dangers as they navigate their changing world and fight to protect those they love. I LOVED the incredible world-building, fantastic characters, and Anthony Palmini’s phenomenal audiobook narration, and while the story took a direction I didn’t expect and the twist didn’t land quite as strongly as I’d hoped, this is still one of my favorite romantasy series!
Broken Dove
by Dani Francis
In the sequel to Silver Elite, Wren Darlington has escaped the Prime-controlled capital and returned to the Uprising, but the war for the Continent is far from over. With Cross working undercover and her former friend Grayson back in her life, Wren finds herself caught between dangerous secrets, divided loyalties, and complicated feelings.
Burn of the Everflame
by Penn Cole
The fourth book in Penn Cole’s Kindred’s Curse series finds Emarion on the brink of destruction as powerful enemies threaten to wipe out the Descended. With war raging on multiple fronts, the Crowns must forge unlikely alliances and confront dangerous secrets as love, loyalty, and the fate of their world hang in the balance.
Crown Me Dead
by Liv Zander
When her brother becomes desperately ill, a gravedigger’s daughter accepts a horrifying bargain: seduce a decaying king, become his queen, and die so her brother can live. But as she enters a dangerous world of royal intrigue, she finds herself caught between the terrifying King Kael and the calculating Vale, who has his own deadly plans for her.
Daggermouth
by H.M. Wolfe
In a dystopian city ruled by a masked elite, mercenary Shadera is sent to assassinate Greyson Serel, the president’s son, but her failed mission leaves her forced into marriage with the very man she was hired to kill. Trapped together in a world where rebellion is brutally punished, the enemies must decide whether to destroy each other or join forces against the corrupt regime.
Fury Bound
by Sable Sorensen
In the sequel to Dire Bound, Meryn Cooper is determined to seek revenge as deadly conflicts threaten the bonds she’s fought to protect. But claiming her destiny could cost her everything, including the people she loves and the parts of herself she’s desperate to hold on to.
Grim Tidings
by B.K. Borison
Darcy is a grim reaper who’s tired of taking souls and wants to save a life for once, but her plans bring her face-to-face with Gabriel, a guardian angel disguised as a gruff bartender. I loved their initial chemistry, but Gabriel’s cruel treatment of Darcy and her willingness to excuse his behavior made it hard for me to believe in their growing romance.
Half City
by Kate Golden
Viv Abbot has spent years hunting demons alone, but when she meets the dangerously attractive demon Reid Graveheart, he introduces her to Harker Academy, a school where she can finally train alongside other hunters. As Viv investigates the mystery surrounding her father’s murder, she must keep her own secrets hidden while resisting her growing attraction to a demon.
Reap & Sow
by Charlotte B. Plumb
Eda Shaw and her brothers make a living arranging dangerous bargains between desperate humans and a demon who trades wishes for years of their lives. When a deal goes wrong and her brothers are arrested, Eda turns to another demon, the mysterious Kit’rath, whose help could save her family but might cost her something even more precious than her soul.
Rites of the Starling
by Devney Perry
The sequel to Shield of Sparrows continues the romantic fantasy adventure in a dangerous world filled with powerful monsters, ancient legends, and deadly magic. As the stakes rise, the characters must navigate new threats and difficult choices that could change their futures.
Starside
by Alex Aster
In a world divided between powerful immortals and struggling mortals, Aris enters a deadly competition for the chance to cross into Starside, where the gods’ magic can grant unimaginable gifts. But unlike the other challengers, Aris isn’t seeking power or wealth; she’s determined to kill the gods responsible for destroying her family.
The Ballad of Falling Dragons
by Sarah A. Parker
In the sequel to When the Moon Hatched, Raeve struggles with her desire for vengeance and her complicated feelings for Kaan Vaegor as a devastating moonfall threatens their world. With his kingdom in danger and time running out, Kaan must fight to protect his people while confronting the past that continues to bind him to Raeve.
The Knave and the Moon
by Rachel Gillig
In the sequel to The Knight and the Moth, Sybil Delling finds herself trapped in a marriage to a cruel king while desperately searching for a way to bring down his rule. When a mysterious knight with no name or memory appears at the kingdom’s tournaments, he may be the key to helping her escape and uncover the truth behind the kingdom’s darkest secrets.
The Lion & the Deathless Dark
by Carissa Broadbent
After a devastating loss drives bounty hunter Kyrene to kill the goddess she once served, she becomes a target of both mortals and gods. Her only chance at survival is an alliance with Septimus, a dangerous vampire prince who offers to help her take revenge by hunting the gods themselves, even as their growing attraction threatens to complicate her plans.
The Washwoman at the River’s End
by Megan Shade
Cursed to wash the burial clothes of those destined to die, Bea has spent more than a century trapped at the river’s edge searching for a way to break her curse. When Brennen, a man sworn to kill her for murdering the woman he loved, becomes her guard, the two are forced into an uneasy alliance as mysterious deaths and disappearances threaten the kingdom.
Threshing Day
by Rebecca Yarros
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
Return to Basgiath War College in this collection of thirteen stories featuring familiar characters from the Empyrean series as they face the deadly trials of Threshing Day. With dragons deciding who is worthy of becoming a rider, cadets including Xaden, Rhiannon, Liam, and others must survive dangerous rivals and impossible choices that could change their lives forever.
We Who Will Die
by Stacia Stark
To save her younger brothers, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to assassinate an ancient vampire emperor, but first she must survive the Sundering, a brutal competition for a place in his elite guard. As she trains alongside the emperor’s dangerous son and draws the attention of his powerful protector, Arvelle becomes entangled in a conspiracy that could change everything she believes about herself and her enemies.
My Pick for Best Romantasy of 2026
My vote goes to Brimstone by Callie Hart!
I absolutely LOVED this book, and the Fae & Alchemy series has become one of my favorite romantasy series. Between the incredible world-building, unforgettable characters, Kingfisher (OMG!), and Anthony Palmini’s phenomenal audiobook narration, I’m completely hooked.
I’d love to see Brimstone take home the award!
Which Romantasy Book Gets Your Vote?
Have you read any of the 2026 Goodreads Choice Awards Best Romantasy nominees?
Which book are you voting for, and were there any romantasy books you were surprised to see missing from this year’s list?
Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading…because life is better with a love story!
More of the Best Romantasy Books to Read
The Goodreads Choice Awards are a fun way to discover popular romantasy books, but there are so many other fantastic fantasy romance books worth adding to your TBR list.
If you’re looking for your next addictive romantasy read, check out my recommendations:
More Goodreads Choice Awards in Romantasy:
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